Meter feeder: 'It's just a big silly mess right now'
EUGENE, Ore. -- A municipal court judge will decide if a man is guilty of intimidating a City of Eugene parking meter attendant without the help of an advisory jury.
Judge Wayne Allen denied a motion filed by William Wiswall that sought an advisory jury to give recommendations in Benjamin Bond's March 18 trial.
Bond is charged with one count of obstruction of government or judicial administration for a January confrontation with a parking attendant in downtown. He has pleaded not guilty.
Wiswall also filed a motion for a jury trial. Allen also denied that motion, saying Bond does not have a right to a jury trial because his charge is a violation of city code.
"I'm still satisfied Ben Bond's going to have a fair trial in front of Judge Allen," Wiswall said after the Tuesday morning hearing, adding he did not expect the motion to be granted.
But Wiswall said he was disappointed that a third motion, called a demurrer, was denied. He wanted the city prosecutor to explain how the city believes Bond committed the alleged obstruction.
A prosecutor in municipal court is not required to reveal before trial which theory they are presenting, said, city prosecutor Dan Barkovic
"The case isn't just about someone plugging meters ahead of her [the parking attendant]," said Barkovic. "It's about what he did with respect to that and the interchanges they had within these two, three blocks."
Bond attended Tuesday's hearing. Afterward, he seemed both overwhelmed and amused by the attention he is receiving from the public and the media.
"It's just a big silly mess right now," said Bond. "I think it's a little ridiculous to let it get this big."
When asked if he would do anything differently, he answered no.
"I think I did the right thing," said Bond. "I'd do it again."
Bond's trial is set for March 18.
KVAL News has requested to cover Bond's trial with a camera. A judge has not ruled on our request.
